Amusement device



Feb. 19, 1963 F. J. BURKE AMUSEMENT mzvxcg 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1960 mmvron. Frank J. Burke.

Feb. 19, 1963 F. J. BURKE AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 9, 1960 El l|||ll| I'lllllll'l'lllll INVENTOR. Frank J. Burke United States Patent 3,078,091 AMUSEMENT DEVICE Frank J. Burke, Rte. 1, Oak Creek, Colo. Filed Nov. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 68,178 1 Claim. (Cl. 272-30) The present invention relates to an amusement de vice of the type children may ride.

An object of the present invention is to provide a riding device for children, one which rotates and serves as a teeter-totter as it rotates.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a teeter-totter and rotary merry-go-round or roller coaster amusement device which is foolproof in operation, safe for children to ride, and one which may be manufactured at reasonable cost.

These objects will be understood from the following description and when considered in the light of the attached drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side view in elevation,

FIGURE 3 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the invention.

With reference to the drawings, the numeral designates a base having a post 12 centrally disposed with respect to the base 10.

A trackway 14 fabricated of rigid material such as wood or metal, and having an undulating surface, is supported on standards 16 and braces 18 rising from the base 10. The trackway 14 is flat and has its upper transverse surface horizontally disposed. The trackway 14 undulates along its circumference so as to have three peaks each opposite a valley.

Preferably, the base 10, braces 18 and standards 16 are fabricated of strap iron, although any other structure may be employed if found practical.

In FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the post 12 has a collar 20 secured thereto by setscrew 22-. The collar 20 supports a bearing assembly 24 on which rides a trunnion block 26 having stub shafts 28 projecting therefrom.

A teeter-totter board 30 has its midpart supported on bearings 32 which are rotatably mounted on the stub shaft-s 28 for tilting movement of the board about the shafts 28 as a horizontal axis.

With reference to FIGURE 4, a roller means 34 is dependingly carried by the board 30 inwardly of each end of the latter and reliably engages the upper surface of the trackway 14. Each roller 34 is mounted in a hanger 36. Each hanger 36 is connected to a bracket 40 by a pin 38 so that the adjacent roller 34 rodks about the pin 38 as a horizontal axis. Each bracket 40 is fixedly secured to the underside of the board 30.

In use, a child may ride each end of the board 30 and propel himself about the post 12 as a vertical axis, at the same time rising and falling as the board end travels over the undulating trackway.

While only a selected embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it is expected that commercial application of the invention will require that certain changes and modifications of the invention are possible and within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An amusement device of the character described, comprising a circular base having the configuration of a spoked wheel when viewed from the top and from the center of which rises a post having a collar removably secured thereto and on which rotatably rest a ball-bearing assembly supporting a trunnion block having an opening in the center thereof through which rotatably projects the upper end of the said post and a rectangular teeter-totter board having an elongated opening in the center thereof for the upward projection of the upper end of the said post, the said teeter-totter board being swingably secured to the said trunnion block by means of a pair of bearings diametrically opposite one another on opposite sides of the said trunnion block to which said bearings are secured by means of stub shafts that project at right angles from opposite sides of the said trunnion block and a circular undulated trackway having peaks and valleys mounted on the said base and supported in part by standards vertically mounted on the periphery of the said base, each of said standards supporting the trackway at a peak diametrically opposite a valley, a bracket that is V-shaped when 'viewed from the side mounted on the underside of each end of the said teeter-totter board, and a roller rotatably mounted in a hanger that is pivotally connected by a pin to the lower end of each said bracket, the said roller resting on the said trackway and thereby supporting one end of the said teetertotter board as it is rotated about the said centrally located post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,764,230 Taylor June 17, 1930 

